Automatic leveling device for tile laying ditchers



Jan. 10, 1950 E.-STEFFEN 2,494,069

AUTOMATIC LEVELING DEVICE FOR TILE LAYING DITCHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed A ril 50, 1945 w e. m. WS/ [h m m E M Y B E. STEFFEN 2,494,069 AUTOMATIC LEVELING DEVICE FOR TILE LAYING DITCHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Emil Ste/flew BY I: .Mw flTTflEA/EY Filed April 30, 1945 Jan, 10, 1950 Patented Jan. 10,1950

AUTOMATIC LEVELING DEVICE FOR TILE LAYING DITCHERS Emil Steffen, Decatur, Ind.

Application April 30, 1945, Serial No. 591,185

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a ditching machine and more particularly to the type used for digging a trench in which drainage tile or even pipe lines are to be laid requiring that a predetermined grade be maintained to facilitate the proper flow of the liquids to a designated point.

Ordinarily in the digging of trenches for drainage tile where a designated grade must be maintained, a series of stakes are set into the ground at frequent intervals to indicate the line of tiling and to also designate the grade required in that particular system of tiling. The operator, who observes through a sighting rod mounted on the ditching machine, manually operates the digging wheel in such a manner that the proper course and grade is secured. This necessitates that the operator pay very close attention to the grade stakes and often the grade is not entirely in accordance with the predetermined plan. Not infrequently the ditching machine encounters a rock, ridge, or depression which may not be observed by the operator, or the effect of which the operator may not be able to accurately estimate, in which case the grade of the ditch is directly afiected.

An object of this invention is to provide a ditching machine provided with automatic means for controlling the digging wheel such that a predetermined grade or absolute level may be maintained enabling the operator to concentrate only on the line of travel of the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide automatic means for controlling the digging wheel such that unavoidable elevations or depressions through which the ditching machine may travel will be immediately compensated, thereby maintaining the constancy of the level or grade of the trench. Other objects will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of the digging wheel upon a laterally moving conveyor belt, not shown, thereby carrying said material to the spillbank alongside the digging machine. The digging wheel I is retained in a frame l3 composed of spaced side beams I4, the power for rotation being supplied by a motor l5 on the rear of the traction machine It through a flexible coupling l1 and the geared drive wheel l8 which is meshed into the gears of the digging wheel.

A crumber I9 is attached to the rear end of the digging wheel frame l3 such that its shoe 20 may ride along the bottom of the trench 2| for the purpose of disintegrating and leveling its surface and supporting the rearward portion of the showing the crumber and automatic leveling device and including the rear portion of the traction machine;

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of one side of the digging wheel frame showing the accompanying electrical circuit; and

Figure 3 is a detailed drawing partially in section of the switch operating device.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a digging wheel (0 which retains a series of excavating buckets H about its outer circumference, which deposit the excavated dirt digging frame l3. At the front end of the digging wheel frame i3 are guide members 22 which are slidable on the vertically disposed elevator rails 23 which are attached to the rear platform of the traction machine [6. Flexible cables 24 are dead ended to the upper portion of the elevator rails 23 from which point they pass downwardly and about sheaves 25 at the front end of the digging wheel frame I 3. They then pass upwardly and over sheaves 26 which are rotatable on the axle 21 held by the upper end sections of the elevator rails 23, following which the cables 24 are wound upon winches 28 rotatable in either direction by a motor 29. Those who are skilled in the art will be able to select suitable reversible motors since they are commercially available from various sources. One suitable four-pole type reversible motor is manufactured by the Ohio Electric Manufacturing Company and is described in their Bulletin No. 208. Rotation of the winches 28 in one direction will cause the cable 24 to unwind causing the movement of the guide members 22 and the front end of the digging wheel frame 13 in the downward direction. Conversely, rotation of the winches 28 in the other direction will result in the take-up of cables 24 and a proportionate rise of the front end of the digging wheel frame l3.

7. Another cable system is shown in Figure 1 in which the ends of cables 36 are dead ended on arms 3|, pivoted from the ends of cross rods 32, anchored upon the rear end of the side beams l4. Cables 30 extend upwardly and about sheaves rotatable on the axle 21, from whence they return and pass about sheaves 33 held by arms 3|, then upwardly again and over other sheaves rotatable about the axle 21, and then wound on winches 34 which are actuated by the motor 29 upon the adjustment of the gear shift 35. This latter pulley arrangement enables the operator to adjust the rear portion of the digging wheel devices are constructed identically, description here will be made to one, illustrated in detail in Figure 3 of the drawings, it being understood, however, that only one of these devices is shown adjustably mounted. Each switch operating device comprises a cylinder 38 whichis, held in position by a supporting bracket 39 having an intermediate arcuate section 39a that tightly embraces the cylinder but enabling adjusting movements thereof in the direction towards and away from the ground. Flanges 39b integral with the arcuate sections are anchored to the side beams ill by bolts or screws 41L The cylinder 38 is enclosed at the bottom, but has an opening in its side wall near the bottom to which a'tube ll! is connected by means of a hose coupling 42. The tube il serves to connect the bottoms of the cylinders of the switch operating devices and 3?, which cylinders and tube contain a liquid such as quicksilver, which is free flowing and has a high specific gravity. A cylindrical float t l has an upwardly extending arm of smaller diameter and floats upon the liquid (is due to its lower specific gravity. The

fioat is is movable lengthwise within the cylinder 38 such that a rise in the liquid 43 will necessarily cause the float to also rise and thus the arm 45 which extends through an opening in the cylinder cover d5 rises and contacts a switch button ill of an electrical switch 48. Said switch 43 is attached to the cylinder 38 such that the two will always remain the same distance apart and is connected by wires 49a to a battery 49 and downgrade that is needed.

elevating the digging wheel frame until the desired level is again attained,

It will be manifest that the motor 29 will operate only so long as the digging wheel frame I3 is in a tilted position, and that this device operates entirely automatically to maintain the digging wheel frame at a constant level regardless of the irregularities of the terrain over which the traction machine travels.

The above description applies in the case where a perfectly level trench is desired. The device also functions automatically when a constant predetermined grade desired for the laying of drainage tiles. For that purpose, additional units are attached thereto such that the cylinder 38 may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly depending on whether it is an upgrade or a The cylinder 38 rests upon and is attached to a platform 59 by means of screws 5!. The platform til is an integral part of a rack bar 52 which meshes with the teeth of a pinion fastened at its center for rotational movement to the digging wheel frame 13. Rotational movement is imparted thereto by a crank handle. 54 such that the cylinder 38 may be raised or lowered within its supporting bracket 39.

Associated with the rack bar 52 is a pointer 55 which indicates upon a chart 58 fastened to the digging wheel frame l3, the degree of rise or fall which the subsequent adjustments will maintain insofar as the ultimate trench is concerned. In operation, if the cylinder 33 is moved upwardly, the quicksilver, in seeking its level, will flow from the device 35 to the lower device 3'5, causing the arm to rise and contac't the switch, the motor 25 winds up the cable and elevates the forward end of the digging wheel frame until both demotor 29 which it actuates while the button is depressed by the arm 45. It is to be understood that the switch as is not attached to the beam [4 but is carried wholly by the cylinder 38. V

Manifestly, when the front end of the digging wheel frame is is tilted upwardly such as when a boulder or ridge is encountered by the traction machine it, the quicksilver immediately seeks its level and to attain this, it will flow from the cylinder of the device 3! into the device 36, thereon raising the float =25 in the cylinder 38, causing the arm d5 to rise and depress the switch button ll to actuate the electrical circuit and energize the motor 29. In order to return the digging wheel frame to its former level, the motor 29 operates to cause the winches 28 to unwind, I

releasing sufiicient cable such that the front portio of the digging wheel frame [3 has been readjusted, at which time the quicksilver has again returned to its former level within the cylinders,

thus permitting the float it and arm 45 to. re-

turn to its normal position, releasing the switch buttons? and breaking the circuit. In the reverse situation, when the traction machine encounters a rut or depression, it results in the lowering of the front end of the digging wheel frame l3, quicksilver flows from the device 36 into the device 37 causing the switch therabove to be actuated and themotor 29 to rotate such that the cable 24 is wound upon thewinches 28,

vices 3B and 31 are on a level with each other, at which time the adjustment is completed. Any subsequent changes from this position due to ridges or depressions will unbalance the liquid levels and the motor will thus automatically be made to operate until the fluid has again attained the same level. Thus the front portion of the digging wheel frame will be constantly and automatically maintained above the rear section in relation to the amount which the device 36 has been raised. This will result in a constant upgrade of the resulting trench. The reverse condition obtains when the cylinder 38 is moved downwardly, causing the front end of the digging wheel frame 53 to be lower than the rear such that the trench will gradually become deeper.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: V

1. An earth moving machine suitable for digging trenches comprising a, traction machine, a carrying frame connected to the rear of said traction machine for vertical sliding and swinging movement relative thereto, a rotatable wheel held within said carrying frame to which digging means are circumferentially attached, motor and coupling means for causing the rotation of said wheel, a motor and cable arrangement for raising or lowering the front portion of said frame,

76 switch operating means mounted on said carrying frame for causing the first mentioned motor and cable arrangements operatively to raise or lower the carrying frame to the desired angle in response to the movement of the carrying frame from said angle.

2. An earth moving machine of the class described, comprising a traction machine, elevator rails vertically disposed upon the rear portion of said traction machine, a carrying frame connected to said elevator rails and movable thereon toward or away from the surface of the ground, a rotatable wheel within said carrying frame, digging buckets spaced at intervals about the circumference of said wheel, power means for rotating said wheel comprising a motor and flexible coupling, electrical motor and cable arrangements for raising the front end of the carrying frame, another cable arrangement in combination with said latter motor for raising or lowering the rear portion of the carrying frame, an arm section supporting the rear of the carrying frame, and touching the bottom floor of the excavated trench for raking and support purposes, and automatic switch operating means mounted on said carrying frame for energizing said last motor to return the frame to the desired angle in response to movement from said angle.

3. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises vertically movable arms positioned on the carrying frame, means for causing one of said arms to rise in relation to the carrying frame when said frame has attained an undesirable angle, and electrical switches disposed :adjacent to said arms, each of said switches energizing said motor when contacted by one of said arms to cause the carrying frame to be raised or lowered until the desired level is attained and the armsreturn to their normal relative position. 4. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises two cylindrical floats retained in containers positioned on one side of the carrying frame, arms extending from said floats, means for causing one of said floats to rise in relation to said respective container when the carrying frame attains an undesirable angle, and electrical switches disposed adjacent to said arms and having a spaced relation with said respective containers calculated to efiect engagement between one of said arms and said adjacent switch when the carrying frame moves from the desired angle, said switch energizing said motor in response thereto, causing the carrying frame to be raised or lowered until it returns to the desired angle.

5. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises hollow cylinders secured to each end of the carrying frame, cylindrical floats movable along the vertical axis within said cylinders, arms extending from said floats, liquid means for causing said floats to rise or fall in relation to said respective cylinders when the angle of the carrying frame has been changed, electrical switches attached to said cylinders and disposed adjacent to said arms, and means energizing said motor upon contact between one of the arms and one of said switches, said motor raising or lowering the carrying frame until the desired angle is reestablished.

6. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises hollow cylinders attached to each end of the carrying frame, cylindrical floats movable on the vertical axis within said cylinders, arms of smaller diameter extending from said floats, an opening in the bottom portion of each of the cylinders, a tube connecting the opening of each cylinder to the other, a liquid of higher specific gravity than the floats contained in said tube and cylinders such that the floats will rise or fall with a similar rise or fall of the liquid level in the cylinders, electrical switches attached to said cylinders and disposed adjacent to said arms, and means for energizing the electrical motor upon contact of one of the arms and the adjacent electrical switch such that the carrying frame is raised or lowered until the desired level is reestablished.

'7. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic leveling means comprises hollow cylinders attached to each end of the carrying frame, cylindrical floats movable along the vertical axis within said cylinders, arms of smaller diameter extending from said floats, openings in the bottom section of each cylinder, a tube connecting said openings, quicksilver or mercury contained in the tube and a portion of said cylinders, electrical switches attached to and equidistant from said cylinders and disposed adjacent to said arms, and means for energizing the electrical motor on contact of the arms with the adjacent electrical switch such that the carrying frame is raised or lowered until the desired angle is reestablished and the mercury has returned to its former level within the cylinders.

8. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises arms one of which is adjustably mounted on the carrying frame, means for causing one of said arms to rise in relation to said frame when the carrying frame has attained an undesirable tilt, other means to mechanically raise or lower one of said arms in relation to the other, electrical switches disposed adjacent to said arms and bearing a predetermined spaced relation thereto, and means for energizing the electrical motor upon contact of one of said arms with said respective adjacent switch causing the carrying frame to be raised or lowered to the desired angle whereafter the arms return to their adjusted position.

9. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating device comprises cylindrical floats held in containers positioned on the carrying frame, arms extending from said floats, means for causing one of said floats to rise within the container when the carrying frame attains an undesirable tilt, electrical switches attached to said containers and disposed adjacent to said arms, means for adjusting one of the containers toward or away from the surface of the ground, and means for energizing the electrical motor upon contact of one of said arms with one of said switches causing the carrying frame to be raised or lowered to the desired angle whereafter the arms return to their normal position.

10; An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means comprises hollow cylinders secured to each end of the carrying frame by brackets, one of which is movable toward or away from the ground, cylindrical floats movable along the vertical axis within said cylinders, an arm extending from each of said floats, liquid means for causing said floats to rise or fall when the tilt of the carrying frame has been changed, a platform on which one of the cylinders is fastened, handle and pinion means anchored to the carrying frame and suitable for moving the platform toward or away from the ground, electrical switches attached-to and maintained equidistant from said cylinders and disposed adjacent to said float arms, and means for energizing the electrical motor'upon contact .of one of said arms with one of said switches causing the motor to move the carrying frame upward or downward to the desired angle whereafter the arms return to their regular position.

' 11. An earth moving machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the automatic switch operating means for maintaining the angle of the carrying frame comprises a hollow cylinder attached to each end of the carrying frame by brackets in which one of the cylinders is movable toward or away from the ground, cylindrical floats movable in the lengthwise axis within said cylinder, an arm of smaller diameter extending from each of said iioats, an opening in the bottom section of each cylinder, a tube connecting the openings in each of the cylinders, a liquid of higher specific gravity than the floats contained in the tube and a portion of each of the cylinders such that the floats ride thereon and will rise or fall with a similar rise or fall of the liquid level in the cylinders, a platform on which one of said cylinders is fastened, rack and pinion means for adjusting said platform in the direction towards and away from the ground, means for indicating the position of the platform, electrical switches attached to the cylinders adjacent to said float arms thus retaining equal distance between said cylinders and switch, and means for energizing the electric motor upon contact of a float arm with its adjacent switch causing the carrying frame to modify its tilt until the arms return to their normal adjusted position.

12. An earth moving machine suitable for digging trenches comprising a traction machine, a carrying frame connected to the rear of said traction machine for vertical sliding and swinging movement, a rotatable wheel held within said carrying frame to which digging means are circumfer'entially "attached, motor and coupling means for causing the rotation of said wheel, a motor and cable arrangement for raising or lowering the front portion of said frame, another cable arrangement in connection with said latter motor for raisingor. lowering the rear portion of said carrying frame, and level seeking fluid operating means mounted on the side of said carrying frame for energizing said latter motor for operating one of said cable arrangements to return the frame to the desired angle in response to movement'from said angle.

13. An earth moving machine suitable for digging trenches comprising a traction machine, a carryingframe connected to the rear of said traction machine for vertical sliding and swinging movement, a rotatable wheel held within said carrying frame to which digging means are circumferentially attached, means for causing the rotation of said wheel, a motor and cable arrangement for raising and lowering the front portion oi said frame, another cable arrangement for raising or lowering the rear portion of said carrying frame, electrical switches mounted on the sides of the carrying frame, and fluid operated arm means automatically responsive to the movement of the frame to an undesirable position to engage one or the other of said switches to thereby eiiect the energization of said motor to raise or lower the carrying frame until the desired angle is reestablished.

EMIL STEFFEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

" UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,329,659 Smith Sept. 14, 1943 

